Derwitzer glider
One of the first successful manned aircraft
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Derwitzer glider was a glider that was developed by Otto Lilienthal, so named because it was tested near Derwitz (nowadays part of Werder (Havel)) in Brandenburg. It first flew in 1891 and became one of the first successful manned aircraft in the world. Lilienthal used it to make flights of up to 25 metres (80 feet).
| Derwitzer glider | |
|---|---|
| The Derwitzer glider in flight with Lilienthal as pilot, 1891. First photo of a human in flight, by Carl Kassner. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Experimental glider |
| National origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Otto Lilienthal |
| Designer | |
| History | |
| First flight | 1891 |
Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: One (pilot)
- Length: 3.90 m (12 ft 10 in)
- Wingspan: 7.62 m (25 ft 0 in) originally; 5.5 m (18 ft) later
- Wing area: 10.0 m2 (108 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 18 kg (40 lb)